Why are we surprised by weather so often?
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We have an odd ability to forget that it gets damned hot in February, frigid in August, windy in November and colourfully serene in Autumn.
Yet, for the past two days, people have been stumbling into each other, muttering: “Hot enough for you? How about this weather? I could cook yabbies in my armpits.”
This past week the temperature in Bendigo was in the high 30s and around 40. On February 7, 2009, it reached 45.5.
Heck, compared to the pre-aircon days of many of our childhoods, it’s mild. The tar hasn’t even melted and stuck to your thongs yet. The goannas haven’t even invaded the dog bowl yet. You can still hear yourself over the din from the cicadas. Here is a strong prediction: soon, it won’t be hot.
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The heat also reveals curiosities.
Such as climbing out of the backyard pool one evening this week and noticing for the first time that there’s a warning on the top step of the pool ladder: “This is not a step.”
Suddenly, it started to look very much like a bowl of goldfish. What would happen if the non-step was taken back to the pool shop and demands were made for it to be replaced by one which was more self-aware?
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And hosing down some thirsty plants early yesterday morning, we saw an adventurous young magpie standing in the driveway nearby.
The spray slowly edged a bit closer to him and with little hesitation, he jumped into the spray and had an obviously joyful five-minute shower, warbling all the time.
Now, you cannot say that is not an unexpected delight on a warm morning?
(A little aside here: while humans can retreat to the air conditioner, grab a coldie or ooze into a pool, birds and animals can’t, and they rely on us to leave full water bowls and baths around the garden. We’ve noticed a couple of stumpy-tail lizards in the dog bowl.)
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Please tell us that we are not the only ones to find it, err, interesting that TV’s My Kitchen Rules is sponsored by Hungry Jacks?